RE: New Car Sales Slump
Friday 5th September 2008
The Corsa was last months best sellerThe Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has announced there were only 63,225 new cars registered last month, 18.6% less than this time last year. This brings the figures for the year to date to -3.8% compared with 2007.
New Car Sales Slump
Worst August car sales since 1966.
The Corsa was last months best seller
It blamed decining consumer confidence for slowing sales across all european markets and called on the government to take 'sustained action' to boost the economy and restore confidence. The group said that falling oil prices could also help restore sales.
Interest in economical and 'green' cars remained strong however and Diesel cars increased their market share, even though the absolute number sold still fell.
Discussion
"It blamed decining consumer confidence for slowing sales across all european markets and called on the government to take 'sustained action' to boost the economy and restore confidence."
Oh dear - another bunch who were quite happy to make hay while the sun was shining but as soon as the clouds gathered they start calling for others to help them out.
Oh dear - another bunch who were quite happy to make hay while the sun was shining but as soon as the clouds gathered they start calling for others to help them out.
Monty Python said:
"It blamed decining consumer confidence for slowing sales across all european markets and called on the government to take 'sustained action' to boost the economy and restore confidence."
Oh dear - another bunch who were quite happy to make hay while the sun was shining but as soon as the clouds gathered they start calling for others to help them out.
Agreed.Oh dear - another bunch who were quite happy to make hay while the sun was shining but as soon as the clouds gathered they start calling for others to help them out.
People are starting to realise with all the talk of troubled financial times that replacing a perfectly good car with a new one every 2 years might not be the wisest thing they'll ever do. If you have a car that meets your needs and is running well then why replace it?
That IMO is why car sales are down.
That IMO is why car sales are down.
I typically run a car for 3 to 5 years although I've had the current car for 6.5 years. The ONLY thing that is stopping me buying is the unpredictable rip-off that is VED. I want a guarantee that we won't copy Ireland and have £2000/year VED for high tax vehicles in 4 years time as that would either cripple me or destroy the resale value. I don't care what they set VED at, all I want is to know that it won't massively inflate for EXISTING cars.
Am I the only one who's a bit fed up with reading the news this morning that "August new cars sales are the lowest they've been since 1966" on the basis that its sensationalist and based on flawed logic?
August is always quiet as it preceeds the registration plate change on 1st September. Additionally, comparing August sales with anything pre-1998 is irrelevant, as that used to be plate-change month, and would therefore alway be high. The only meaningful comparison is to compare August 2008 registrations to the previous 10 years. And on the basis that this is the first year since 1998 where the economy hasn't been growing healthily, then the news is hardly unexpected is it!!!
Just my 2p's worth
August is always quiet as it preceeds the registration plate change on 1st September. Additionally, comparing August sales with anything pre-1998 is irrelevant, as that used to be plate-change month, and would therefore alway be high. The only meaningful comparison is to compare August 2008 registrations to the previous 10 years. And on the basis that this is the first year since 1998 where the economy hasn't been growing healthily, then the news is hardly unexpected is it!!!
Just my 2p's worth
DMH@VWG said:
Am I the only one who's a bit fed up with reading the news this morning that "August new cars sales are the lowest they've been since 1966" on the basis that its sensationalist and based on flawed logic?
August is always quiet as it preceeds the registration plate change on 1st September. Additionally, comparing August sales with anything pre-1998 is irrelevant, as that used to be plate-change month, and would therefore alway be high. The only meaningful comparison is to compare August 2008 registrations to the previous 10 years. And on the basis that this is the first year since 1998 where the economy hasn't been growing healthily, then the news is hardly unexpected is it!!!
Just my 2p's worth
This article is simply comparing August this year with August last year. It rained for the bulk of both August is always quiet as it preceeds the registration plate change on 1st September. Additionally, comparing August sales with anything pre-1998 is irrelevant, as that used to be plate-change month, and would therefore alway be high. The only meaningful comparison is to compare August 2008 registrations to the previous 10 years. And on the basis that this is the first year since 1998 where the economy hasn't been growing healthily, then the news is hardly unexpected is it!!!
Just my 2p's worth
I think new cars are just too expensive for what they are. During a period of economic slowdown people are much more likely to stop and think before buying big-ticket items. And that's when it hits you: Thirty grand? For that? I'll hang on to my money thanks and drive my current car for a bit longer.
Awwwww don't you feel sorry the S.M.M.T.?.... i would execpt for the fact that for a very long time they sat back and watched people in this counrty pay well over the odds for cars compared to the rest of Europe.Did they do anything to help us?Did they buggery! So guess what S.M.M.T.? Life's a b
h, and you better get used to it.
h, and you better get used to it.My mother has an ailing Honda Shuttle 2.3
VEL is £185. She is a pensioner who does childminding who needs a 7 seater.
She would like to buy a new car and it has to be auto.
The options are an internet-sourced brand new Kia Carens for £9k which produces 201g CO2 which means £400 1st year VEL (£550 next year)and £300/£310 in the next two years. She can't afford that sort of annual VEL.
The only other option is a CO2 friendly Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi - only £150 VEL a year but about £15k which she can't afford.
What does she do? Keep the Honda and drive it into the ground I'm afraid!
The sooner they scrap these ridiculous CO2 bands the sooner people will return to buying the cars they need, not the cars the Government thinks they should be driving.
VEL is £185. She is a pensioner who does childminding who needs a 7 seater.
She would like to buy a new car and it has to be auto.
The options are an internet-sourced brand new Kia Carens for £9k which produces 201g CO2 which means £400 1st year VEL (£550 next year)and £300/£310 in the next two years. She can't afford that sort of annual VEL.
The only other option is a CO2 friendly Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi - only £150 VEL a year but about £15k which she can't afford.
What does she do? Keep the Honda and drive it into the ground I'm afraid!
The sooner they scrap these ridiculous CO2 bands the sooner people will return to buying the cars they need, not the cars the Government thinks they should be driving.
August new car sales figures are a waste of time being so close to the new registration, unless its a bargain of a lifetime with hugh dicsounts - If not, why bother? I wonder if the government have shot themselves in the foot by not looking at the economy on a wider scale.
They have seen and heard for months the motorists venting their frustration at increase fuel costs, the increase in tax bands for new and USED cars of a certain period of age, not old by any means and now owners of larger engined vehicles and SUV's flooding the used car market and opting for cheaper or no car. Everything this government has done since entering office (after the conservatives started it all..) has been to target the motorist in TAXATION to pay ever more for other services. Are our roads any better, is our public transport any better by enough to leave the car at home, is the air that we breathe any cleaner (or should that be greener).
As for the SMMT, I wont be loosing any sleep over them, being funded by those they serve....they are not there to serve the public thats for sure
They have seen and heard for months the motorists venting their frustration at increase fuel costs, the increase in tax bands for new and USED cars of a certain period of age, not old by any means and now owners of larger engined vehicles and SUV's flooding the used car market and opting for cheaper or no car. Everything this government has done since entering office (after the conservatives started it all..) has been to target the motorist in TAXATION to pay ever more for other services. Are our roads any better, is our public transport any better by enough to leave the car at home, is the air that we breathe any cleaner (or should that be greener).
As for the SMMT, I wont be loosing any sleep over them, being funded by those they serve....they are not there to serve the public thats for sure
Buying a new car is one of the worst financial decisions I ever made. The second worst was buying another new car four years later. The second time I only did it because I had built up two grands worth of points on my GM card.
Never again. Both those cars dropped £2000 per year in value.
Never again. Both those cars dropped £2000 per year in value.
alock said:
I typically run a car for 3 to 5 years although I've had the current car for 6.5 years. The ONLY thing that is stopping me buying is the unpredictable rip-off that is VED.
I fail to understand your logic.VED is way down the lists of motoring costs. Buying a car on the basis
of that, you may as well buy a car by the depth of the fag ash buckets.
Fuel and Depreciation remain much bigger costs to motorists.
LuS1fer said:
My mother has an ailing Honda Shuttle 2.3
VEL is £185. She is a pensioner who does childminding who needs a 7 seater.
She would like to buy a new car and it has to be auto.
The options are an internet-sourced brand new Kia Carens for £9k which produces 201g CO2 which means £400 1st year VEL (£550 next year)and £300/£310 in the next two years. She can't afford that sort of annual VEL.
The only other option is a CO2 friendly Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi - only £150 VEL a year but about £15k which she can't afford.
What does she do? Keep the Honda and drive it into the ground I'm afraid!
The sooner they scrap these ridiculous CO2 bands the sooner people will return to buying the cars they need, not the cars the Government thinks they should be driving.
Buy second hand and the money saved on the car will easily be enough for a few years VEL?VEL is £185. She is a pensioner who does childminding who needs a 7 seater.
She would like to buy a new car and it has to be auto.
The options are an internet-sourced brand new Kia Carens for £9k which produces 201g CO2 which means £400 1st year VEL (£550 next year)and £300/£310 in the next two years. She can't afford that sort of annual VEL.
The only other option is a CO2 friendly Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi - only £150 VEL a year but about £15k which she can't afford.
What does she do? Keep the Honda and drive it into the ground I'm afraid!
The sooner they scrap these ridiculous CO2 bands the sooner people will return to buying the cars they need, not the cars the Government thinks they should be driving.
dcb said:
alock said:
I typically run a car for 3 to 5 years although I've had the current car for 6.5 years. The ONLY thing that is stopping me buying is the unpredictable rip-off that is VED.
I fail to understand your logic.VED is way down the lists of motoring costs. Buying a car on the basis
of that, you may as well buy a car by the depth of the fag ash buckets.
Fuel and Depreciation remain much bigger costs to motorists.
Your only option is to practically give your car away and buy a citybox. Tempting as it is I think I will be doing what most other people will be doing in the same position .... and that is hold on to what I've got.
Alistair Darling is DIRECTLY responsible for at least part of this slump in sales.
I WISH said:
dcb said:
alock said:
I typically run a car for 3 to 5 years although I've had the current car for 6.5 years. The ONLY thing that is stopping me buying is the unpredictable rip-off that is VED.
I fail to understand your logic.VED is way down the lists of motoring costs. Buying a car on the basis
of that, you may as well buy a car by the depth of the fag ash buckets.
Fuel and Depreciation remain much bigger costs to motorists.
Your only option is to practically give your car away and buy a citybox. Tempting as it is I think I will be doing what most other people will be doing in the same position .... and that is hold on to what I've got.
Alistair Darling is DIRECTLY responsible for at least part of this slump in sales.
Everyone should chop in there newer big engine cars for something pre 2001 and give the government the Vs. Ok so you'll have to take a hit right now on the value of the car but then you'll teach the government a lesson by paying less VED, no VAT on the value of the new car, piss of the manufacturers because they can't sell anything who will then pressure the government.
LuS1fer said:
My mother has an ailing Honda Shuttle 2.3
VEL is £185. She is a pensioner who does childminding who needs a 7 seater.
She would like to buy a new car and it has to be auto.
The options are an internet-sourced brand new Kia Carens for £9k which produces 201g CO2 which means £400 1st year VEL (£550 next year)and £300/£310 in the next two years. She can't afford that sort of annual VEL.
The only other option is a CO2 friendly Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi - only £150 VEL a year but about £15k which she can't afford.
What does she do? Keep the Honda and drive it into the ground I'm afraid!
The sooner they scrap these ridiculous CO2 bands the sooner people will return to buying the cars they need, not the cars the Government thinks they should be driving.
"The sooner they scrap these ridiculous CO2 bands the sooner people will return to buying the cars they need, not the cars the Government thinks they should be driving."VEL is £185. She is a pensioner who does childminding who needs a 7 seater.
She would like to buy a new car and it has to be auto.
The options are an internet-sourced brand new Kia Carens for £9k which produces 201g CO2 which means £400 1st year VEL (£550 next year)and £300/£310 in the next two years. She can't afford that sort of annual VEL.
The only other option is a CO2 friendly Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6 HDi - only £150 VEL a year but about £15k which she can't afford.
What does she do? Keep the Honda and drive it into the ground I'm afraid!
The sooner they scrap these ridiculous CO2 bands the sooner people will return to buying the cars they need, not the cars the Government thinks they should be driving.
WELL SAID
AMEN
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